Germany Signs Up to European Union Military

Twenty-three European Union nations took a major step toward forming a European army on Monday. They agreed to begin planning their defense, spending their money, and selecting their priorities like one large power rather than 23 smaller ones.

Not everyone in the EU signed up for this. For some, handing over this much control of their defense was too much.

Unlike many other EU treaties, this one has (some) teeth. Nations that don’t pull their weight can be kicked out of this new exclusive club.

The agreement requires signatories to regularly increase their defense spending. The Nation wrote that the agreement is “calling for a massive increase in military investment and to pave the way for the deployment of European forces.”

The signing ceremony was an “emotional moment” and a “historic moment in European defense,” said EU Foreign Policy and Defense Chief Federica Mogherini. German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel called it “a milestone in European development.”

This is a major step in these nations working more closely together. So now, when Germany is deciding what to spend its money on, it will do it with the entire EU in mind. These nations will work together on developing weapons, so instead of 23 nations developing 23 tanks, there will be much more pressure to develop a single EU tank.

Now another piece of news, more specifically from Germany, this week: German exports to Saudi Arabia and Egypt have quintupled—increased fivefold—in the third quarter of 2017 compared to the same time period last year. The German Economy Ministry disclosed the figures this week after requests from the Left Party.

Egypt bought €300 million (us$342.8 million) of weapons in those two months alone, and Saudi Arabia spent €150 million ($171.4 million).

The government hasn’t said what it sold to Egypt, but Saudi Arabia likely purchased four patrol boats and 110 military trucks.